Faucet and drinking fountain



H. A. LIMLE FAUCET AND DRINKING FOUN March 17,v 1959 TAIN Filed Jan.

. /MLE H/s Afro/w57 United States Patent D FAUCET AND DRINKING FOUNTAIN Herbert A. Limle, Daytona Beach, Fla. Application January 2, 1957, Serial No. 632,111 3 Claims. (Cl. 299-10) This invention is directed to a construction or method for changing a faucet which normally discharges water only downwardly into a combined faucet and drinking fountain which permits the downwardly directed spout of the faucet to be turned upwardly to form a sanitary drinking fountain.

Faucets in large numbers have been sold for use in kitchen sinks and other places, which have xed, downwardly directed spouts discharging water into the sink or other receptacle for use within the kitchen. To obtain a drink from such a faucet, it has been the practice to ll a glass from the faucet, and then to drink the water out of the glass.

An object of this invention is to provide a construction which permits the previous downwardly directed spout to be moved to a temporary upward direction from which drink water may be obtained in the same manner as from sanitary drinking fountains which have xed upwardly directed spouts.

Another object of this invention is to permit the downwardly directed spout to be moved forwardly from the base of the faucet, and to be then directed upward for more ready access by the user. y

Another object of this invention is to provide intermediate sleeve and inner conduit constructions which may be inserted into the base and spout portions of the original faucet after the spout and base have been cut apart, such constructions being secured therein in such a manner that the spout can be moved to a temporary upward position for drinking purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for the insertion into the base and spout portions of a faucet after such portions have been cut apart, such means providing for locking the spout in the downward position, for releasing the spout for turning the spout to an upward position, and there locking it for ternporary use as a drinking fountain.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds with. reference to the acoompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of a faucet to which this invention has been applied.

. base after the faucet has been cut at 22, Figure 1 to receive the sleeve and conduit portions of this invention. v

Figs. 7 and 8 are the front and back intermediate sleeves, shown at 24 and 23 respectively in Figures l() and l1, which sleeves are to be inserted in the spout and base of the faucet.

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the inner conduit 25 in Figures 12, 13, and 14 which is to be inserted within the sleeves shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Figs. 10 through 14 are transverse cross sections taken along the lines 10 through 14 of Fig. 1.

y This invention is described in connection with a pivoted kitchen sink faucet, but many of theadvantages of this invention are equally applicable to other faucets now on the market or in actual use. This invention is also applicable to original equipment as it is being manufactured.

The faucet includes a pivoted base 20 having a vertical tube portions 2Gb and a horizontal tube portion 20a, as shown in Figure 1, and a spout 21 which originally were in one integral piece, and were so joined that the spout 21 had a downwardly directed end 2lb, and was not upwardly movable. Such a faucet could not be used as a drinking fountain until this invention was applied to it, as shown in the drawings. To apply the invention to the faucet, the horizontal tube portions 28a and the spout 21 were cut along the line 22, Fig. l, by any suitable instrument. Thereafter the back intermediate sleeve 23 (Fig. 8) the front intermediate sleeve 24 (Fig. 7) and the inner conduit 25 (Fig. 9) are inserted and joined with the tube portion 20a and the horizontal intake 21a of the spout 21 in such a manner that the spout 21 may swing upwardly to discharge water upwardly. The user may then open the well known, and usual valve structure 26, Fig. l, which is present in every sink of the type herein referred to by means of the well known handle 27 and permit water from the usual cold water supply line 28 to flow through the pipe 29, into the base 20 and into the spout 21. The valve Z6, handle 27, cold water pipe 28, pipe 29, pivoted base 20 and hot water pipe 30 have been in use for many years. Their construction and mode of operation are well known, and hence are not further described. If the spout 21 is up, according to this invention, the user can regulate the volume of water by regulating the handle 27 to permit the user to drink without using the usual unsanitary glass normally adjacent the sink. The faucet ordinarily is also connected to the hot water line 30, provided with a similar valve and handle not shown, which are similar to valve 26 and handle 27. Hence the user may also drink hot water, or mixed hot and cold water by proper manipulation of the hot and cold water handles. The valve 26, handle 27, etc., generally are at right angles to the faucet, but are shown in the same plane for better illustration.

Inner conduit 25 has holes 35 through 38 drilled therein for the reception of screws shown in Fig. 9. Screw 39 is tightly secured in the hole 35 and then the conduit 25 is inserted from the back into the back intermediate sleeve 23, after which the screws 40 and 41 are tightly secured in the holes 36 and 37. The sleeves 23 and 24 may be formed by cutting a single piece along the plane 22a of Fig. 8, but may be made from separate pieces if desired. The sleeve 23 is cylindrical and has notch 42 cut at the inner end 23a and notches 43 and 44 cut at its outer end 23b. These notches are of a size to receive the round heads of the radially directed members or screws 39, 40 and 41 to lock the spout 21 in the desired downward or upward position, as will become apparent. The conduit 25 has an outer diameter to tit rotatably and snugly within the inner diameter of the sleeves 23 and 24, which have inner diameters substantially equal to the outer diameter of the conduit 25. These sleeves have outer diameters substantially equal to the inner diameters of the pivot base 20 and the spout 21. The sleeve 23 has a hole 48, Figure 8, cut therein which mates with a hole 49a, Figure 6, cut in the base 20. The conduit 25 and the sleeve 23, with screws 39, 40 and 41, are inserted into the base 20, and the screw 49 is inserted and tightly drawn -intofthe-holes-48- andj49a to vloch the-'sleeve 23 in the base 20. The screw 49 is not long enough to contact the conduit 25. The sleeve 24 is inserted with- -in-` the; spent' together with the-front or forwardend 50 of the conduit 25. The sleeve 24 lhas a hole 51, `and the-'spruit' 'Z1' has had' afholeSZ bored therein, and-.these holes are aligned with the hole 3Sintheconduitz,:after which the screw-53 is inserted and is tightly drawn to i lock firmly the conduit 25, sleeve 24 Iand spout-211mgether.

After these-parts have been assembled as just described, vthe faucet structure is ready'for nse either for filling receptacles in the usual manner there done',- orthe spout '21 may be turned 'upwardly fand there' locked in position yfordririlting purposes. To'move the spout from the downward direction to vthe upward direction, the -spout 21 is firstV partially pulled forward from the-base 20, Aas shown -in Fig. 2. This 4forward movement removes the `heads of the Vscrews 40 and 41 from the slots 43and 44, and permits the spout 21 to `be turned to the lupperposition shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter the spout Z1 is pulled further forward tothe position shown in Fig. 4. This causes head of screw 39 toenter the slot 42 `and `to lock the spout in the upper direction as Ishown in Fig, l4. The screw 39 prevents the spout 21 andtconlduit 25 to be completely withdrawn from lbase 20.

if desired, instead of pulling the spout 21 forwardly y as shown in Fig. 4,v the user may -push the spout 21 toward kthe base 20, causing the heads of screwsf40 .and `41 to enter respectively the slots 44 and- 43, .and thus lock-'the spout 21 in the upward position.

` IIn operation, if the user desires to till receptacles in 4the-ordinzsry manner, the spout 21 is placed, or allowed f Ato remain, in the position shown in Fig. l, 'and Athe valve handle 27 and/or the corresponding'fhot water handle, not shown, Vmay be lturned to operate lthe corresponding valve structure causing Awater Ato enter 'the base Z0-and the spout 21and be discharged downwardly -into the receptacle. When the user desires to obtain a drinkgithe spout 21 is partially pulled out, as in'Fig. 2, vturned up Ito the position lshown in Fig. 3, and further pulled rout,

as shown in `Figt, -or pushed in,'and this `locks the spout l2'1in the upward position where it-rnayremain as long as desired. -When the down position is again desired, the spout is moved to -the= position Yshown in Fig. 3, is then turned downwardly to the yposition shown in Fig. '2,' and is pushed into the'position showninFig. 1,-"where it vmay remain indefinitely until the up position is again desired.

While I have `disclosed Athe preferred embodiment lof the invention, as required by the statutes, it is-understood that other forms may be used, within the scope of y the claims4 -which follow.

I claim:

1. A combined `faucet and drinking fountain rcomprisi'ng a pivoted base having a substantially' horizontal tube portion; a faucet spout having a substantiallyhorizontal `intake endaligned withfand ofthe same'inner diameter as Vsaid tube portion and having la discharge end normally downwardly directed; a back sleeve having anonter 'diameter substantially equal to the yinner diameter -of `said vtube portion and snugly ttingin said tube portion and having a notch at its inner end; a-screw-passing through said tube portion andl threadedly engaging -said sleeve andflocking said sleevein saidtubegvan Iinner conduit having an outer diameter substantially equal to -the inner diameter of `said back-'sleeve'and-'snugly and rotatably inserted in said sleeve; la radially directed stop member on said conduit limiting forward movement Aor' saidinner 'conduit within vsaid sleeve andrnovable to'engage said notch when vsaid spout is upwardlydirected and pulled out toits outer limit; a 'frontlsleeve substantially of the/same cross-section 'as *said -baek sleevemand fitting snugly in said intakeend of said faucet spout and receiving the front end of said conduit; a screw passing through said spout, front sleeve and and threadedly engaging said front end of said inner conduit and locking said spout, front sleeve and inner conduit together whereby said spout may be moved from a downward position and rotationally locked in an upward position b y turning and pulling said lspoutv outwardly.

2. A combined faucet .and drinking fountain comprising: a base having a substantially horizontal tube portion; a faucetspout having Aa substantially'ihorizontal intake end aligned with'said tube portion and having a discharge end normally downwardly directed; a back sleeve having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said tube portion and snugly insertable in said tube portion and having diametrically opposed notches at its front end;1means'for '-lockingsaid sleeve in Asaid"tube-portion; an inner conduit 'having .an outer'idiameter substantially equal to the `inner Ydiameter oftsaid 3back sleeve 4arid-snugly and rotatably inserted'insa'id sleeve; means for limiting for/ward-nnovernentr of Vsaid inner conduit within said sleeve; a radially directed stop member -on Isaid inner conduit intake of andY adjacentvthe 'backend'fof said spout; a front sleeve =in vsaid horizontal 4intake `of said faucetvspout` receiving the forward -end of Vsaidinner conduit withinL said horizontal:intakesof'said spout; a screw passing through lsaid spout, front sleeve, vand threadedly engaging said Vforwardend rof'saidinner conduit to lock them together, whereby said faucet spout may be-locked in downward and upward positions by pushing said spout 4bacltwardly to engage said radially 4vdirected stop ymember in either of said diametricallyfop'- posed notches.

3. 'A combined faucet and drinking fountain comprising: a faucet base having a substantially-horizontal ltube portion; afaucet spout having a substantially-horizontal -intalreend aligned with andof -the same inner diameter as said tube portion and having a discharge endnormally downwardly directed; a back sleeve -havingvv an outer diameter lsubstantially equal to the inner vdiameter lof vsaid tube-portion and lsnugly fitting in said tube por- `tion;y a screw Vpassing through said tube portion 4fand threadedly engaging said sleeve and locking said lsleeve Ain said tubeportion; ank -inner conduit having'an-outer diameter 'substantially equal to the inner diameter -of said back sleeve and snugly and rotatably insertedfand ylongi- `tudinally-movablein said sleeve; a -stop .member `ilimiting forward movement-of said inner conduit within said VVsleevewhen said spout is pulled out to-its outer limit; a

front sleeve substantially of the same cross-sectionffas said back sleeve-and fitting snugly in ysaid intakeend Aof said faucet and receiving the front end of said=conduit; a screw passing through said spout, front sleeve and threadedly-engaging said -front end of said-vinnerfcondnit and locking said spout, front sleeve vand inner conduit together whereby said spout may be moved from az downward position and -rotationally placed Ain a forward-and upward position by turning and pulling saidspout out- References Cited in the le of this ,patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,769 Bradley May'2,1876 A893,143 Caldwell Iuly 14,'1908 1,067,383 Southgate 'July 1 5, '-1913 1,218,695 Phillips Mar. 13, i191? 1,366,150 Askin Ian. 18,'1-921 1,574,052 ,Mueller Feb. 23, 4`Iv1926 2,103,797 Stoddard Dec. 28, l1937 l2,257,895 Woodford et al. Oct. 7,4941 2,570,635 -Beyer Oct. 9,1951 

